Electric-conductor coupling.



P. BAIER.

ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR COUPLING,

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1911. RENEWED JULY 27, 191.4. 1 1 1 0,475.

Patented Sept. 15, 19111 f 5 5 J. ,f I1? y UMTED STATES PATENT onirica.

FREDRICK BAIER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE SWISS MAGNETO COMPANY, `OIF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A GORPORATION F NEW YORK.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application led AprillO, 1911, Serial No. 620,229. Renewed July 27, 1914. Serial Ho. 858,418

`To all whom t may concern:

\Be it known that I, FREDRICK BAIER, a`

subject of the Emperor of Germany, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Conand electrical connection is eected between the detachable coupling members.

The invention consists in the features ofl improvement hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the preferred jformin the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is asectionalview of the improved coupling as applied to a brush-holder. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2*2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the coupling appiled to an igniter plug.

The improved coupling comprises detachable ball and socket members formed of brass or other suitable conductingmaterial. The ball member consists of a base piece 1 and a projecting integral stem 2 which terminates in a spherical head 3. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the ball member is formed in piece with a cylindrical sleeve 4 which is adapted to serve as a holder for a carbon brush or the like. The sleeve 4 and the base piece 1 are embedded in a piece of insulated material 5 of hard rubber or the like, having screw threads or other suitable means by.' which it is held in position within a socket. 1

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the base portion 1 of theball member is provided with an internally threaded bore for engaging the threaded stem 6 of the insulated electrode of an igniter plug 7 The bore of the base portion 1 is longer than the threaded stem 6, so that the ball member may be screwed in rm contact with the lange or shoulder 8.

The ball member of the coupling may. be

Patented sept.v 15, 1914.

The socket member 9 of the coupling comprises a short externally threaded plug'havmg a seat or recess 10 extending inwardly from one end thereof and adapted to receive the ball member. The walls of the socket member 9 are unyielding andthe outer` -portion or mouth of the recess 10 therein is smaller than its enlar ed inner end. The head 3 of the ball mem er is slightly larger than the mouth `of the recess and this head and the stem 2 of the ball member are provided with a longitudinal slit 11, so that the head 3 may be forced through the contracted mouth'of the recess 10 into the enlarged i'nner end thereof. The two parts of the biurcated ball Amember are quite rigid, but will yield slightly when the head portion 3 Yis forced through the contracted mouth of the recess or seat 10. By this construction a mechanically secure connection is afforded between the detachable ball and socket members of the coupling and good electrical contact is maintained between the same.

A holder formed of hard rubber or like insulating material is rovided for the socket lmember 9 and for a ording a connection between the ilexibleinsulated conductor and the socket member. In the forni shown, this hplder comprisesa head 12-and an integral hollow stem 13'. A transversely disposed pocket 14 .is rovided in the head 12 and opens throug a side face thereof. The socket member 9 is arran ed within the pocket 14 and the. walls o threaded to receive the external threads of the socket member. l

The stem 13 of the insulating holder is the latter aref toA i -provided with a longitudinal bore 15 which ,f

extends at ri ht angles to the axis of the pocket 14 an is arranged to receive an insulated, flexible conductor 16. The inner end of the bore 15 is preferably reduced and opens into the pocket/14, adjacent the-inner end thereof. The bared inner end of the induced inner end of the bore 15 into the inner sulating conductor extends through the reend of the pocket 14 and is clamped between ceiving 'a screw-driver, so that the socket member may be forced into firm contact with the bared inner end of the conductor to thereby efl'ect a good mechanical and elec-` Y trical connection between the conductor and the socket member of the coupling.

Itis obvious that the details set forth may be varied Without departure from the essentials of the invention as dened in the claim.

I claim as my invention An electric conductor coupling for spark plugs and the like comprising an elongated,

bared end of the conductor opening into the inner end of said ocket, a cylindrical, metallic socket mem er adjustably threaded into said pocket and having a iat, unobstructed, inner end face arranged to engage the bared end of the conductor and clamp the same against the bottom Wall of said pocket and a ball member having a longitudinally split stem provided With an enlarged head detachably engaging said socket member, the walls of said socket member being solid and having a seat for said ball member enlarged at its inner end, substantially as described. l

FREDRICK BAIER. vWitnesses:

ELEANOR HAGENOW, KATHARINE GrERLAcH.` 

